There are currently a variety of devices which are available to raise and lower objects between a reference structure such as a ship or a dock and water adjacent thereto. These devices are usually large and often involve complicated structures. As such, known raising and lowering devices are generally unsuitable for use on most smaller boats.
Smaller boats, however, often do require the use of a raising and lowering device. Dinghies, for example, must often be raised and lowered between smaller boats and the adjacent water. Water-related recreational equipment and swimmers may also be raised and lowered between smaller boats and the adjacent water.
Many of the presently available raising and lowering devices employ cables to hold a support structure. In such devices, the support structure bears the object to be raised or lowered. When raising or lowering unbalanced loads with presently available devices, however, problems are often encountered. Where the cables are each raised and lowered by an independent actuator, for example, objects may be raised or lowered non-uniformly. This could, in turn, result in damage to the load or even to the raising and lowering device.
It is therefore intended that this invention provide an improved raising and lowering device which is adapted for use on smaller boats to uniformly raise and lower both balanced and unbalanced loads.